This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2002-7129 filed on Feb. 7, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an indoor unit in an air conditioner.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, an air conditioner is an appliance installed in a room of a store, office, home, and the like so as to cool or heat a room air.
Such air conditioners are mainly divided into an one body type of which parts constructing a cooling cycle are installed in one unit and a separative type constructed with two units for the cooling cycle. The separative type air conditioner includes an outdoor unit having a compressor and a condenser inside so as to compress and liquefy a refrigerant and an indoor unit having an evaporator and the like inside to evaporate the refrigerant so as to cool a room air.
A wall type air conditioner of the separative type hanging the indoor unit on the wall has an excellent use of space so as to be widely used.
FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C illustrate an indoor unit of a general wall type air conditioner.
Referring to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, an indoor unit in a wall type air conditioner includes a case 1 attached to a wall and having an intake port 1a at an upper part and a blow outlet 1b at a lower part, a blower installed at one side inside the case 1, a fan motor 3 coupled with one end of the blower 2 so as to rotate the blower 2, and a heat exchanger 4 installed between the intake port 1a and the blower 2.
And, an inlet pipe 5 guiding a refrigerant of an outdoor unit(not shown in the drawing) and an outlet pipe 6 are installed at one side of the heat exchanger 4.
Operation of the above-constructed indoor unit is schematically explained as follows. The blower 2 rotates in one direction by a power of the fan motor 3, and a turning force of the blower 2 inhales a room air through the intake port 1a. The inhaled air undergoes heat exchange through the heat exchanger 4, and then is blown into the room through the blow outlet 1b so as to cool the room.
Yet, the indoor unit in the wall type air conditioner has the following disadvantages or problems sue to its structural characteristics.
First, various components constructing the indoor unit are placed right and left to the case 1 asymmetrically, whereby it is, considerably difficult to design a product. Namely, as shown in FIG. 1B, the heat exchanger 4 is installed at a left side of the case 1, and the fan motor 3 and pipes 5 and 6 are installed at a right side of the case 1. In this case, the intake port 1a and the blow outlet 1b should be placed at some locations corresponding to the heat exchanger 4. Such conditions become limitations in designing a compact product as well as make an assembly work of the product difficult.
Second, since the inlet and outlet pipes 5 and 6 of the refrigerant are placed in the space accommodating the fan motor 3, a condensed water generated from surfaces of the pipes flows into electronic parts such as the fan motor 3 and the like. In this case, electric short of the fan motor 3 and the like become fatal to a reliance of the product.
Third, as the blow outlet 1b is formed at the lower part of the case 1, a flow direction of the blown air faces downward. In order to supply heating/cooling airflow evenly, the indoor unit has to be hung on an upper part of the wall. This makes many limitations on selecting the installing site of the indoor unit.
Fourth, as the intake port 1a is formed at the upper part of the case 1, particles in air are easily accumulated on the intake port 1a so as to flow in the case 1 easily. In order to prevent such an inflow, an additional particle remover should be installed at the intake port 1a. 
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an indoor unit in an air conditioner that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit in an air conditioner of which components are arranged symmetrically so as to enable a compact design.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit in an air conditioner enabling to increase a reliance.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit in an air conditioner free from the limitation of installing location.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an indoor unit in an air conditioner according to the present invention includes a case having an intake port and a blow outlet, a blower installed inside a central part of the case along a length direction of the case, a heat exchanger installed between the intake port and blower so as to heat-exchange a room air which is sucked in, a fan motor coupled with one side of the blower so as to drive the blower, and a pipe part installed at a space opposite to the fan motor centering around the blower and connected between the heat exchanger an outdoor unit so that an operational fluid circulates through the pipe part.
Besides, the present invention provides the indoor unit in the air conditioner so that the case is symmetric to the heat exchanger by installing the heat exchanger at a central part along a length direction of the case.
Accordingly, the present invention enables to design the compact indoor unit in the air conditioner as various components are arranged symmetrically centering around the blower and heat exchanger. Moreover, the present invention enables to overcome the problem of electric short circuit of the fan motor due to the condensed water since the fan motor and pipe part are left apart centering around the blower.
Meanwhile, the present invention provides an air conditioner of which blow outlet is formed on an upper front of the case, thereby enabling to install the indoor unit more freely.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.